Paper-making machine



Dec. 9, 1930. w. H. MILLSPAUGHY 7 3,

PAPER MAKING MACHINE Original Filed July 20 1926 2 sh t -sh 1 1930- w. H. MILLSPAUGH 1,733,959

' PAPER MAKING MACHINE Original Filed July 20,- 1.926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE WILLIAM H. MILLSPAUGH, OF sANnosKYt c1110, ASSIGNOR TO THE rAPER & TEXTILE MACHINERY co'MrANY, or SANDUSKY, 01110, A CORPORATION 013 01110 PAPER-MAKING MACHINE Original application filed July 29, 1926, Serial No. 123,757. Divided and this application filed January 21. 1929. Serial No. 333,835. I

This invention relates to paper-making machines, and aims to provide an improved machine for use in the manufacture of lami uated or plural-ply paper. The subject-matter of the invention is disclosed in my application filed July 20, 1926, Serial No. 123,757. of which this application is a division.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view of an illustrative machine embodylng the invention.

Fig. 2 represents a modification thereof.

The operation of the machine involves the simultaneous production of a plurality of wet paper sheets by vacuum-induced formation over suction rolls, and bringing the sheets together and bonding them into a unitary plural-ply sheet. The particular machine selected for illustration in Fig. 1 is adapted for the manufacture of two-ply or three-ply paper. The machine has in this instance three vacuum-forming cylinders 1,

1 and 1", provided by suction rolls of appropriate character for maintenance of desired vacuum areas. These cylinders consist of closely perforated metal shells, suitably mounted and driven. Their directions of rotation are indicated by arrows in the drawing. Endless strainer mediums preferably of fine wire cloth, hereinafter called the wires, are entrained around and driven by the cylinders. These wires are respectively designated by the symbols 2, 2 and 2 The directions of travel of the wires are indicated by arrows.

The suction rolls and associated equipment may be of the character described in my aforesaid application, and will be briefly described as follows.

Associated with each roll is a vat 3 to hold liquid stock for paper production on or against a segment of the cylindric form ng surface provided by the wire-covered portlon of the roll. It will be understood that the liquid is continuously supplied to and mamtained at a desired level in the vet by appropriate means. In each cylinder isa stationary suction-box 4 having its open side hearing against the interior surface of the cylinder, providing a vacuum chamber 5 confrontahove the liquid level.

ing the liquid body and extending to a point There is also provided in this instance, as a separate compartment of the suction box, a supplemental Vacuum chamber 6 in each cylinder. The suction chamber 5 of each roll communicates through a pipe connection at 5 with apparatus which will maintain in said chamber a suitable vacuum for inducing the wet sheet formation while at the same time drawing off the water removed in the process of forming the wet sheet of paper. The supplemental suction chamber 6 of each roll is similarly connected with a suitable vacuum pump through a pipe connection at 6*.

Considering the operation of any individual suction roll or vacuum-forming cylinder, for instance the cylinder 1, the direction of rotation is such that the wire is carried upwardly past the contacting body of liquid stock. As the cylinder and wire move past the vacuum chamber 5, the suction forcibly Withdraws water from the liquid body through the area of the wire in contact therewith, causing the continuous deposition on the wire of a web of paper pulp and the removal therefrom of a large amount of water. The continued action of the forming vacuum on the sheet as it emerges from and after it leaves the liquid, causes the deposited fibers to be firmly held and compacted against the corrosive action of any surplus moisture or pulp which may drain back into the vat. This same holding action of the vacuum prevents thinning or washing away of the deposited web while it is passing through the liquid in the vat. Another effect of the vacuum is the passage of air through the web after it leaves the liquid and is exposed to the air. The air thus forced through the web carries with it more water in the form of spray or vapor. These several effects combine to produce rapidly a continuous, uniform. closely compacted sheet, obtaining an excellent formation. Further drainage and compacting of the paper sheet takes place as the sheet is carried over the supplemental vacuum chamber 6.

It will be understood that the speed of rotation of the cylinder, the degree of vacuum maintained in the suction box, and the consistency of stock delivered to the vat. may be controlled according to the thickness and character of sheet to be made; that the construction of the vat and suction box equipment of the suction roll may be such as to permit adjusting the width of the forming area in accordance it h the width of the sheet to be made; and that the liquid stock held on the cylinders may be maintained quiet or agitated according to whether desired to produce paper of greater tensile strength lengthwise than transversely, or whether it is desired to produce papers of increased transverse strength; all as explained in my aforesaid application. For agitating the liquid stock in the vats so as to promote crisscross deposition of the fibers, in the case of producing papers of increased transverse strength, or of substantially equal strength both longitudinally and transversely, the vats are shown provided with agitators each comprising a rcciprocatory rod 7 carrying a series of spaced blades 7 having concave edges in close proximity to the cylinder. By reciprocation of the rods 7 the blades 7* will move the liquid stock rapidly in opposite directions across the cylindric forming surface.

As the wet sheets formed over the several suction rolls are to be brought together and bonded into a unitary plural-ply sheet, it is desirable that the vacuum maintained in each of the supplemental vacuum chambers 6 be regulated or adjusted to temper the respective sheets or plies to the proper degree of moisture content for good onding. In the production of plural-ply paper, involving the uniting of separate formations of paper, the sheets to be united should carry a certain amount of Water for bonding purposes. If the sheets are left very wet. or too wet, as is apt to be the case in the production of plural ply paper made in accordance with ordinary commercial methods, then ditliculties will be encountered through crushing of the wet sheets if sufiicient pressure be applied to make the perfect bond or union required. On the other hand, if too much water be withdrawn .from the sheet, then the bonding is likely to be imperfect, and the layers or plies will be liable to separate. It is therefore important to regulate the moisture content of the sheet in accordance with bonding requirements. \Vith the illustrated machine, the supplemental vacuum chambers 6 provide convenient means whereby the sheets. while on their carrying mediums, may be subjected to independently controlled vacuum action so as to force substantially uniformly through the respective sheets such quantities of air as to carry off or expel sufficient moisture to bring the sheets to desired condition. In general, a minimum moisture content for perfect bonding is desirable, as the quality of the paper is better if the bonding union be perfected at such minimum moisture content. According to requirements, the vacuum maintaincd in the chambers 15 may be more or less than the vacuum for forming the sheet. In this connection it may be observed that the tempering of the sheets over the aux iary vacuum chambers (3 may be practiced without limitation of speed or interference with the desired speed of rotation of the forming cylinders.

The machine embodies a plurality of press felts represented by a top press felt 8 and a bottom press fclt 9. The directions of travel of the leits are indicated by arrows n the drawing. The sheets made on the eral wires are transferred to the felts, certain of the sheets being transferred to one felt and certain of the sheets being transferred to the other felt, and the sheet-carrying runs of the felts are brought together and passed through a press. In the illustrative construction, the wire 2 and the top felt 8 are trained in engagement with a suction transfer roll 10, the suction box of which is indicated at 10*, whereby the sheet made on the Wire 2 is transferred by suction to the felt 8. Below the suction transfer roll 10 the wire 2 is shown passing around a guide roll 11, and the return run of the wire is engaged by guide rolls 12 and an adjustable tensioning roll 13.

The felt 9 is shown passing around a suction transfer roll 14, the suction box of which is indicated at 14. This suction roll is located in association with the wire 2 so that the wire, after passing around a suction transferroll l5 hereinafter referred to, is trained in engagement with the felt at the suction transfer roll 14, by which the sheet made on the wire 2 is transferred by suction to the felt 9. The return run of the wire 2' is shown engaged by guide rolls 16 and adjustable tensioning roll 17.

The off-bearing or sheet-carrying runs of the wires 2 and 2 are shown converging and trained in engagement with the suction transfer roll 15 at its suction box 15, whereby the wet sheet made on the wire 2 is transferred by suction to the wire 2*, or to the sheet already carried on the wire 2. It will be understood that whether wet paper is made on either or both of the wires 2 and 2*, the same will be carried by the wire 2 and transferred therefrom at the suction transfer roll 14 to the press felt 9. Below the suction transfer roll 15 the wire 2 is shown passing around a guide roll 18, and

the return run of said wire is shown enof the felts with the intervening sheets pass through a press comprising in this instance a top press roll 22 and co-acting suction press roll 23. The suction box of the suction press roll 23 is indicated at 23 and provides a vacuum area at opposite sides of the bite of the rolls so as to suck up the puddle resulting from the squeezing or moisture expressing action of the co-acting rolls and to hold the sheet to the felt 9, which as shown may deliver the sheet to a succeeding press or other section of the machine. The several Wet sheets are thus brought together and bonded into a unitary plural-ply sheet which may be delivered by the felt 9.

The top press felt 8 is shown engaged byv guide rolls 24 and tensioning or take-up rolls 25. The delivery end of the bottom felt 9 passes around a guide roll 26, andthe bottom run of the felt is engaged by guide roll 27 and take-up or tensioning rolls 28.

Duplex paper may be made by simultaneously forming Wet sheets on the wires 2 and 2 over the suction rolls 1 and 1, transferring the sheets to the respective felts and bringing them together by the co-acting runs of the felts and carrying them through the press; or duplex paper may be made by simultaneously forming the two wet sheets on the wires 2 and 2" over the suction rolls 1 and 1 and brin ing them into contact at the suction trans or roll 15, transferring them to the felt 9 and carryingthem on said felt and under the felt 8 through the press. Triplex paper may be made by simultaneously utilizing the three suction rolls or vacuum forming cylinders, and it will be understood that other cylinders and means similar to those associated with the cylinder 1 may be provided and arranged for successively depositing their sheets on either of the felts, in case of making paper of more than three plies.

Referring to the portion of the illustrative machine which comprises the cylinders 1 and 1*, wires 2 and 2 and the felts,'or in other words disregarding the third cylinder 1 and wire 2", it will be observed that the arrangestock, the sheet will be alike on both sides.

As otherwise indicated in my aforesaid parent application, other wet sheets or plies may be made and superposed upon either of the sheets or plies on the felts 9 and 10 before the felts come together, so as to include additional plies between the outer plies the felts. Thus a laminated sheet of any desired number of plies may be made, with the outer or surface plies free from wire marks.

The suggested.modification of the illustrative machine of Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 2. The machine of Fig. 2 is the same as that of Fig. l except that it omits the cylinder 1 and associated parts including the wire 2", and between the cylinders l and, 1 there is interposed a further sheet-formifl g organization comprising in this instance a pair of oppositely rotating cylinders 1 1 and wires 2, 2. These cylinders with their associated equipment are or may be the same as the others The offbearing runs of the wires 2 and 2 are trained in engagement with a suction transfer roll 30, whereby the sheet made on the wire 2 is sucked onto the sheet on the wire 2. Said wire 2 and the felt 9 are trained in engagement with a suction transfer roll-3l, whereby thesheetor'plies car ried by said wire are transferredby suction to the sheet carried by said felt. The sheet carried by the other felt 8 is then brought wire-side down 011 the plies thus superposed on the sheet carried by felt 9.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment shown and described.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A paper-making machine comprising, in combination, an organization including a plurality of suction rolls and endless wires traveling therearound on which wet paper plies or sheets are formed over the rolls by vacuum induced formation and by which said plies are brought together on one of said wires; a press felt and means for transferring the united plies or sheets thereto; another sheetmaking organization including a suction roll and wire traveling therearound on which a wet sheet is formed over said roll by vacuuminduced formation; another press felt and means for transferring the sheet from said last mentioned wire thereto; and a press comprising coacting rolls through which the sheet-carrying runs of said felts pass.

2. A paper-making machine comprising,

in combination, a plurality'of sheet-making organizations including suction rolls and wires traveling around them on which wet sheets are formed over said rolls by vacuuminduced formation; a plurality of press felts; and means whereby certain of said sheets are transferred to one of said felts and certain to another; said felts arranged to bring their respective sheets together.

3. A paper-making machine comprising, in combination, a plurality of sheet-making organizations including suction rolls and wires traveling around them on which wet sheets are formed over said rolls by vacuuminduced formation; a plurality of press felts;

and means including suction rolls entrained by certain of said wires and felts by which certain of the sheets are transferred to one of the felts and certain to another; said felts arranged to bring their respective sheets together.

4. A paper-making machine having a pair of press felts and a plurality of sheet-forming organizations comprising suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed over said rolls by vacuuminduced formation, the machine being organized and arranged so that certain of the sheets are transferred from wire to wire and certain of the sheets transferred from wires to the respective felts, and said felts arranged to bring the respective sheets together.

5. A paper-making machine having means including a plurality of suction rolls for forming continuous wet sheets by vacuuminduced formation over the rolls and em bodying means organized and arranged for bringing th sheets together in a plural-ply sheet; the machine including in its organization a pair of felts each arranged to receive certain of the sheets and having coacting runs for bringing the sheets together.

6. A paper-making machine embodying a pair of suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed by vacuum-induced formation over the vacuum areas of the suction rolls, and means by which the sheets are transferred from the wires and brought together with the wire sides of the sheets facing inward or toward each other.

7. A paper-making machine having, in combination, a pair of oppositely revolving suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed by Vacuuminduced formation over the vacuum areas of the rolls; a pair of felts; said wires and felts having engaging runs by which the sheets are transferred to the felts with the wire sides of the sheet facing out; and said felts having coacting runs which bring the sheets together with said wire sides toward one another.

8. A paper-making machine embodying a pair of suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed by vacuum-induced formation over the vacuum areas of the suction rolls, means by which the sheets are transferred from the wires and brought together with the wire sides of the sheets facing inward or toward each other, and means for forming and introducing another sheet or sheets between the first mentioned sheets before the latter are brought together.

9. A paper-making machine embodying a pair of wires on which wet sheets are formed and a pair of carriers arranged to receive the sheets with the wire sides thereof facing out and to bring the sheets to ether with the wire sides facing in, and em odying means for forming another sheet or sheets and incorporating the same between the first mentioned sheets.

10. A paper-making machine having, in combination, a suction roll, a coacting press roll, a pair of press felts having coacting runs through the press, suction rolls traversed by the respective felts, and sheet-carrying wires running in contact with the felts at the said last mentioned suction rolls.

11. A paper-making machine having in combination, oppositely revolving suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed by vacuum-induced formation over the vacuum areas of the suction rolls, guide rolls around which the wires run, a felt runnin r in coaction with and which takes the sheet rom the off-bearing run of one of said wires, and another felt running in contact with and which takes the sheet from the return run of the other wire after it has passed around its guide roll, the said felts arranged to bring the sheets together between the felts.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM H. MILLSPAUGH. 

